EA slams Activision's "PR play"

Electronic Arts has dismissed Activision's attempt to seek a whopping $400 million in damages over the sacking of ex-Infinity Ward stars Vince Zampella and Jason West as nothing more than a "PR play".

Last night it emerged that Activision had filed suit against Electronic Arts seeking $400 million in damages as part of its ongoing litigation against the two former Infinity Ward executives.

Activision alleges EA "intentionally interfered with contracts, engaged in unfair competition, and aided and abetted breaches of fiduciary duty by the executives".

Responding to the suit, EA spokesman Jeff Brown told the Los Angeles Times: "This is a PR play filled with pettiness and deliberate misdirection. Activision wants to hide the fact that they have no credible response to the claim of two artists who were fired and now just want to get paid for their work."

West and Zampella have always insisted the allegations were "false and outrageous".

After being fired by Activision bosses at the start of the year, the pair set up Respawn Entertainment and signed a deal with Electronic Arts. According to Activision, the studio poached around 40 former Infinity Ward employees in the process.

The court will decide in January if EA is to be added as a cross-defendant in the West/Zampella countersuit. The trial date between Jason West, Vince Zampella, and the Infinity Ward Employee Group vs. Activision is currently set for 23rd May 2011.